JUDGMENT :

NAGARATHNA, J.

Leave granted.

2. In these appeals, the appellants have assailed the legality and correctness of the order dated 30.10.2014 passed by the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court in W.P.(C) No. 5789/2005, whereby the High Court by allowing the Writ Petition struck down the Assam Rural Health Regulatory Authority Act , 2004 (hereinafter referred to as ‘Assam Act’ or the ‘State Act’ for the sake of brevity) which was enacted by the Assam State Legislature.

Brief facts of the case:

3. The facts giving rise to the present appeals and transferred cases, in a nutshell are that on 18.09.2004, the Assam Legislature enacted the Assam Act. The said Act was enacted to provide for the establishment of a regulatory authority in the State of Assam to register the Diploma holders in Medicine and Rural Health Care (“DMRHC”), to regulate their practice in medicine in rural areas and to regulate the opening of medical institutions to impart education and training for the course of Diploma in Medicine and Rural Health Care.

3.1. On 23.06.2005, the Director, Medical Education, State of Assam, published an advertisement in the Assam Tribune inviting applications from eligible candidates seeking admissions in the three-year course of Diploma in Medicine and Rural Health Care in the Medical Institute, Jorhat, for the session starting in the year 2005.

3.2. The Indian Medical Association, Assam State Branch, Respondent No. 1 herein, filed a Writ Petition being W.P. (C) No. 5789 of 2005 under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, before the Gauhati High Court, assailing the validity of the Assam Act and the aforesaid advertisement. During the pendency of the Writ Petition before the High Court, the appellants herein were admitted in the First year of the three-year Diploma Course in Medicine and Rural Health Care in the Medical Institute, Jorhat, (‘Jorhat Medical Institute’ for the sake of convenience) for the sessions 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 respectively, pursuant to the selection process.

3.3. Having regard to the fact that the Jorhat Medical Institute was created as envisaged under the State Act, and about four-hundred students had been admitted to the diploma course and awarded certificates on having passed the Course, State of Assam made a plea for impleadment of the Regulatory Authority, the Jorhat Medical Institute and the persons who had obtained diploma certificates and had been engaged as Rural Health Practitioners on the basis of such qualification.

3.4. By the impugned order dated 19.09.2014, the High Court rejected the State’s plea for impleadment of the Regulatory Authority, the Jorhat Medical Institute and the persons who had obtained diploma certificates from the said Institute during the pendency of the Writ Petition before the High Court.

3.5. The pertinent findings of the High Court, in the impugned order dated 19.09.2014 may be summarized as under:

i) That the State ha